Structures for use in gardens to support and/or guard plants are well known in the art. These structures have been designed for use in outdoor gardens and indoors with potted plants. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,863 to Duran discloses a plant stake which includes a band to sit within a flower pot. Radial arms extend inwardly from the band and terminate at a threaded collar. A plurality of concentric tubes are carried by the collar and are moveable to allow the vertical height of the stake to be adjusted. Catches allow the height of the stake to be set. The bottom of the tube terminates in a threaded portion which engages the collar and abuts the bottom of the flower pot. In use, the stake is placed in the flower pot and the flower pot is filled with soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,783 to Bayliss discloses a collapsible trellis for supporting plants. The trellis includes three vertically spaced, horizontal rings which increase in diameter upwardly from the lowermost ring. Vertical spacer arms maintain the horizontal rings in position. The lowermost spacer arms are received in apertures formed in a base plate to be received in a flower pot.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,336 to Meisler discloses a frame for growing hops and the like. The frame includes a plurality of vertically spaced hoops around which a plurality of vertical support arms are located. The frame is designed to assist plants to grow outwardly and downwardly after the plants have grown high enough to clear the uppermost hoop.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,861 to Wuthrich discloses a combination plant pot and trellis. The trellis includes a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontal hoops. A plurality of vertical support arms extend between the hoops to maintain their spacing. The support arms extend below the lowermost hoop and terminate in tabs. The tabs are received in apertures formed in the flower pot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,380 to Gayle discloses a guard structure for tomato plants or the like. The structure includes a first enclosure shaped from wire mesh and having legs to anchor the structure in the ground. A second enclosure having a diameter larger than the first enclosure is located above the first enclosure. The second enclosure is also constructed of wire mesh and has a lid hingedly attached to it. The structure is designed to protect fruit from animals while permitting access to ripened fruit.
Although these devices support and/or guard plants, improved supports for plants and the like are continually being sought. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel support for plants, flowers and the like.